7-7-141. Qualified energy conservation bonds. (1) Subject to the conditions and provisions contained in section 54D of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 54D, as amended by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5, and the availability of an allocation, cities and counties are authorized to issue qualified energy conservation bonds to finance projects for qualified energy conservation purposes and are authorized to undertake the qualified energy conservation purposes and programs within the meaning of the section 54D of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. 54D, as amended by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5.
(2) The bonds must be authorized by the governing body of the city or county in accordance with the provisions of applicable Montana law, except as otherwise provided in 17-5-117. The governing body is authorized to enter into agreements and make covenants that may be necessary to provide for the sale and security of the bonds, subject to the following limitations:
(a) if the bonds that are to be issued under this section pledge the city's or county's credit or taxing power, they must be authorized in accordance with the provisions of Title 7, chapter 7, part 22 or 42, as appropriate;
(b) if the bonds to be issued under this section are payable from and secured solely by the revenue derived or generated from a qualified energy conservation program or project, they must be authorized in accordance with the provisions of Title 7, chapter 7, part 44;
(c) if the bonds are payable from special assessments levied against benefited property, the project must be eligible for special assessment financing and must be authorized in accordance with the provisions of Title 7, chapter 12, part 21 or parts 41 and 42, as appropriate;
(d) if the bonds are payable from tax increment revenue, the project to be financed must be eligible for tax increment financing and the project must be approved and the bonds must be authorized in accordance with the provisions of Title 7, chapter 15, parts 42 and 43;
(e) if the bonds are industrial development revenue bonds of the issuer, the bonds must be authorized in accordance with the provisions of Title 90, chapter 5, part 1.